Speaking US English freely

Hey there!

I was wondering if anyone could give any advice on where to start?

I'm a foreigner, and have been studying in UK for year and a half now. I can keep a conversation, I understand everything perfectly, sometimes takes a longer time to structure a sentence or find a word that I am looking for, but basically no one has any problems talking to me.

But I myself really want to lose my accent, and besides that - I want to get US English accent (instead of Northern English, where I'm currently based), please don't hate me for that, because I'm planning on moving to the states after finished with studies.

When I talk, my tongue really often doesn't listen to me. I'm just not used to putting it in those places, because in my original language, we don't use these sounds. I also have a tendency to talk really fast, so that's the first thing I'm going to start working on.

Where do you think I should start now? I mean, I want some professional help, just don't know who to look for. I need someone who can teach me how to place my tongue right, give me some exercises and stuff. Maybe someone who works with people with speech impediment? Don't know how they are called...

Thanks!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 1

SomaliMan

Don't hate yourself, American chicks love English accents, as long as you don't talk like the ones on the Jeremy Kyle show.

Reply 2

callum9999

People from the North of England don't need to learn US English before they go so neither should you - I think it would be best to wait until you get there, then you'll naturally pick up the accent over time (especially as there is no "American" accent - it varies across the country, just like it does in England).

Reply 3

NS17

If you want to lose the accent the fast you'll need a speech therapist.

Also, 'moving to the states' is a lot harder than they make it out in the films. I hope you have a solid plan, not wanting to step on dreams here but it really isn't easy.

Reply 4

EggmanD

Depends who is speaking. I have a few mates from Leeds, Huddersfield, Coventry, Edinburgh and Dublin and there voices are smoother than a babys bottom. On the other hand i live in Croydon and most of my mates here sound speak like horrible screeching cockneys, comparable to say..bigfoots chin stubble in tactile/voice terms! ... :biggrin:

Reply 5

Powka

Thanks for all the responses!

I would really appreciate if you could give me more advice on who and what to look for to talk like English would be my native accent. Staying with an English accent is out of the question, because the only English accent I'm going to get living in North is a Northern one, and not to offend anyone, but don't really want to speak that way.

Speech therapist sounds like a way to go, and I'm definitely going to look this up. And yes, I know all about moving to the states stuff. That's why I'm preparing two-three years before an actual move.

I'm trying to read out loud to myself now. Don't know if that helps, but still something.

Any other ideas on where to start? Cheers!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 6

member569366

Apart from listening to US shows and audio media, there's not much you can do. Instead of an American accent, which I find annoying to listen to, try to have just a neutral one. Don't try too hard to get a particular accent.

Reply 7

LaughingBro

Original post by Powka

You rather talk with an American accent than a British accent?! :facepalm:

Also they have some different words over there too.

Reply 8

basketofsnakes

Original post by Powka

cro cop avatar

Reply 9

Einheri

If you want to neutralize your accent then go see an accent coach.

Reply 10

OMGWTFBBQ

Please clarify on the "northern" accent point.

You can't honestly be so ignorant as to think that a "northern" accent exists.

Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle, to name just three, are all northern cities and all have massively different accents.

The same will be true for similarly separated cities in America - there isn't an American accent, in the same way as there isn't a "Northern" accent. The only way you are going to pick up the local accent is by going there with a solid grounding and fluency in English as a language and learning over time.

Work now on your fluency and sentence structure, and worry about dropping whichever accent you have later on.